Greatness lies not in being strong, but in the right use of strength and this singular, incisive insight has been the hallmark of no one but Pankaj R. Patel, CMD, Zydus Cadila who helped establish Zydus Cadila as a major pharma company in the country. Patel has been providing the vital strength to the Zydus Cadila Group by his astute leadership and visionary strategy.

Patel knows that there are no secrets to success but determination and hard work. In fact, these very qualities helped Patel touch the highest echelons of success. No doubt, this second-generation pharma entrepreneur has been the guiding force behind Zydus Cadila, which today has emerged as the dominating player in the domestic pharmaceutical market.

A master of business strategies, it was Patel who played a pivotal role in establishing one of the strongest distribution network in the industry with a portfolio of high profile brands. As a result of Patel's efforts, Zydus Cadila today has presence in high growth segments with infrastructure comprising eight state-of-the-art manufacturing plants. These are no means achievements for the group within a short span of seven years. In fact, Patel's vision and leadership still continue to propel the group on the path of faster growth and innovations.

A master in pharmaceuticals sciences and as many as 35 research papers published in leading Indian as well as international research journals to his credit, Patel was crystal clear about his career quite early in life. He joined the family's pharmaceutical business and dedicated himself entirely to the growth of the company which was co-founded by his father, Late Ramanbhai Patel. It was here that Patel got the real training in the nuances of managing a business.

Ranked amongst the top ten pharma players in Asia, the group under Patel aspires to be a leading player in Asia and a global player within the next one decade. With the kind of visionary and dexterous leadership Patel has been providing to the group, the dream is sure to become a reality very soon. In fact, Patel gave a new lease of life to the company when he successfully set up the group's bulk drug manufacturing facility at Ankleshwar, thereby proving his organisational abilities.

It was in 1995 that a split in the group's operations led to the emergence of a new entity - Zydus Cadila spearheaded by Late Ramanbhai Patel as the Chairman and Pankaj R. Patel as the Managing Director. Patel, who has the ability of converting challenges into opportunities, helped the firm emerge from Rs.220 crore company to Rs.870 crore with a core competence in healthcare.

It was he who brought in new business strategy by focusing on research capabilities and beefing up international operations and gaining critical mass. The group, under Patel, has become a leading investor in research and has gained considerable strengths with acquisitions of key brands and companies. Surely, for a person like Patel's stature, these successes are merely stepping stone to greater success and glory.